Mayor Ekrem Imamogul was detained for denying a charge of “terrorism” brought against him, according to court documents seen by the Reuters Agency.
“I see today during my questioning that I and my colleagues face unimaginable accusations and slanderous charges,” Imamoguru said Saturday in his defense at the hearing, the documents showed.
Later on Saturday, Imamoguru arrived at Kagrayan Court, where he was to be questioned by the prosecutor, a city hall spokesman said. Imamoguru will appear in court on Sunday as the judge is expected to decide whether to place him in jail or release him.
The mayor, a major opposition figure and a potential challenger to longtime President Recept Tayyip Erdogan, was detained by the government on Wednesday on suspicion of corruption and “terrorism.”
His detention came four days before his Republican People’s Party (CHP) planned to name him the 2028 presidential candidate.
Erdogan on Saturday accused the CHP leadership of “becoming a device to exempt robberies from a handful of municipal robberies who have been blinded to money.”
He also accused him of “doing everything to disrupt the peace of the people and polarize the nation.”
Court appearance
In a report from Ankara, Al Jazeera’s Stephanie Decker said Imamoguru will be transferred from police custody to judicial custody on Saturday.
“We understand that he is doing health checks with about 100 others who have been accused of, and then he will be transferred to court, so he will be questioned by the prosecutor later tonight,” she said.
“Then tomorrow morning he will appear before the judge, who will… be released without charge and will rule on whether he will release a pending trial or detain a trial that is being held in custody,” she added.
“I feel trapped”
Imamogul’s arrest sparked a wave of protest that spread within 48 hours, including Erdogan’s dominant justice and development party hubs, including Erdogan’s dominant justice and development party hubs.
Justice Minister Irmaz Tank told reporters this week that the arrests had nothing to do with the government. “It’s presumed and inappropriate at best to link judicially initiated investigations and cases to the President,” he said.
Erdogan’s telecoms department also said the presidency will continue to defend him from what is called the “irrational smear campaign.”
Despite the prohibition and the presence of a large number of police, a large number of protesters have taken them to the streets.
Turkiye saw the fourth consecutive night of protests on Saturday.
“The sense of being trapped economically, socially, politically, and even culturally was already widespread,” Kemal, a journalist and author of numerous books on Turkish society, told AFP News Agency.
However, Erdogan still maintains support in many parts of the country that trusts government due to its divisive history and current polarized environment.
Imamoguru’s arrest said it sparked a strong response, especially among young people who are concerned about their future in a country where freedom is increasingly restricted.
“This is not just about CHP, it’s about everyone. The question is whether Torkier lives under an authoritarian regime or is a democratic country,” said Ilhan Uzgel, who deals with party external relations.
To highlight the nonpartisan nature of the protest movement, the CHP invited not only party members but all Turks to the iconic main vote on Sunday, when Imamoguru was nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.
Imamoguru praised the protest, saying in a post on Saturday in X, they aimed to protect “democracy” as “inspiration” for the world.
I’ll protest against crackdown
Turkish police crack down on protesters.
Authorities have said 343 people have been arrested in demonstrations so far, which has seen hundreds of thousands of people protest in Torkiye’s biggest city in a massive rebellious show.
On Saturday, Turkish news agency Anadolu was issued a detention warrant for 94 suspects accused of submitting “provocative” calls and filing “provocative” calls to create public “panic.”
Police conducted a simultaneous attack, detaining 56 of the suspects and searching for 38, Anadolu reported, adding that authorities seized illegal drugs while searching for the suspect’s home.
The investigation into Imamogul is part of a drastic investigation involving 106 suspects over allegations of corruption and “terrorism”;
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